2023 Global Peace Index

The 17th edition of the Global Peace Index was released.  The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) uses 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators across three different domains: Societal Safety and Security, Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict, and Militarisation.

For the 17th year in a row, Iceland maintains the top spot.  Here are the top 15 countries and the variance from last year's results.

1. Iceland
2. Denmark +1
3. Ireland -1
4. New Zealand +2
5. Austria -1
6. Singapore +4
7. Portugal +1
8. Slovenia -4
9. Japan
10. Switzerland +1
11. Candada +2
12. Czechia -5
13. Finland +3
14. Croatia +1
15. Germany +2

Europe continues to be the most peaceful region, with 7 of top 10 countries.  Although Europe did go down in all three domains over the past year.  Mainly due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe is now less peaceful than it was 15 years ago.

I'm not sure what happened here in Czechland, with the five spot drop and falling out of the top 10.  But even in 12th place I feel much safer living in Euroland than anywhere else.

The USA remains at 131st place.  Behind Haiti and South Africa, but ahead of Brazil, Eritrea, and Palestine.

The USA recorded the 4th largest overall increase in its homicide rate, which is more than 6 per 100.000 people.  This is more than six times higher than most Western European countries.

The Middle East and North Africa is the world's least peaceful region.  

Ukraine dropped 14 places to 157, just ahead of Russia at 158.  Followed by the five least peaceful countries, with no change from last year.

159. Democratic Republic of the Congo

160. South Sudan

161. Syria

162. Yemen

163. Afghanistan

Я за Україну. Я за Україною. Слава Україні  Stojím za Ukrajinou!  I stand with Ukraine. 

2022 Global Peace Index

The Global Peace Index ranks the level of peacefulness and this year was the 16th edition.  Iceland continues to come in first place which it has been since 2008.  New Zealand came in second place again.   

1. Iceland 
2. New Zealand
3. Ireland +3
4. Denmark -1
5. Austria +2
6. Portugal -1
7. Slovenia -3
8. Czechland +1
9. Singapore +1
10. Japan +1

Europe continues to be the most peaceful area with seven of the top ten spots and 14 of the top 20.

No surprise that Russia and Ukraine are two of the five countries with the biggest drop in peacefulness.

The USA dropped one spot to #129, behind Azerbaijan and ahead of Brazil.

The Middle East and North Africa are the least peaceful regions.

For the fifth year in a row, Afghanistan came in last place, ahead of Yemen, Syria, Russia, and South Sudan.

Я за Україну. Я за Україною. Слава Україні  Stojím za Ukrajinou!  I stand with Ukraine. 

2020 Global Peace Index

The 2020 Global Peace Index results are in.  This is the 14th year of the index ranking peacefulness in 163 countries.  This year's index included analysis COVID-19's impact on peace.

This report also looked at the trends of civil unrest over the past ten years.  I was surprised the Europe had the largest number of protests, riots and strikes with almost 1.600 events between 2011 and 2018.  The civil unrest events in Europe were nonviolent 65% of the time.

Overall, Europe maintains its status as the most world's most peaceful region, with 13 of the 20 most peaceful countries.  The Middle East and North Africa was the least peaceful region.

No surprise that Iceland is the world's most peaceful country again since it's been number 1 since 2008.

1. Iceland
2. New Zealand
3. Portugal
4. Austria
5. Denmark
6. Canada
7. Singapore
8. Czechland
9. Japan
10. Switzerland

It's interesting that except for Iceland, 9 of the 10 most peaceful countries all have some of the most powerful passports.

The USA is ranked #122, behind Azerbaijan and ahead of Burkina Faso.

Afghanistan is still the world's least peaceful country, just behind Syria.

2019 Global Peace Index

The results of the 13th annual Global Peace Index are in. Europe maintained its position as the world's most peaceful region for the 13th year in a row.

Iceland and New Zealand kept the first two spots again.

1. Iceland
2. New Zealand
3. Portugal
4. Austria
5. Denmark
6. Canada
7. Singapore
8. Slovenia
9. Japan
10. Czech Republic

The USA came in at #128, out of 163 countries, behind South Africa but ahead of Saudi Arabia.  

Afghanistan and Syria swapped positions as the least peaceful countries.  The bottom five are:

159.  Iraq

160.  Yemen

161.  South Sudan

162.  Syria

163.  Afghanistan

2018 Global Peace Index

The 2018 Global Peace Index was just released.  Czechland continues to be one of the most peaceful countries to live it.
Even though it slipped a few spots from last year, Czech Republic is the tenth most peaceful country in the world.  The sixth most peaceful in Europe.

Europe continues to be the world's most peaceful region as it has every year this index has been released.  The USA dropped seven spots to place 128th (out of 163 countries).

For the sixth year in a row, Syria is the world's least peaceful country.  Followed by Afghanistan, South Sudan, Iraq, and Somalia.

The Top 10 countries are:
1.  Iceland
2.  New Zealand
3.  Portugal
4.  Austria
5.  Denmark
6.  Canada
7.  Singapore
8.  Slovenia
9.  Japan
10. Czech Republic

2017 Global Peace Index

The 2017 Global Peace Index was released the other day.  Once again, Czechland remains one of the most peaceful countries to live in.  It maintained it's 6th place standing it earned last year.

Europe remains the safest region in the world with 15 of the top 20 spots.

Once again, Iceland came out on top.

Last year the USA placed 103rd.  This year it fell to 114th.

For the fifth year in a row, Syria is the world's least peaceful country, followed by South Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.

The top 10 countries are:
1.  Iceland
2.  New Zealand
3.  Portugal
4.  Austria
5.  Denmark
6.  Czech Republic
7.  Slovenia
8.  Canada
9.  Switzerland
10.  Ireland

2016 Global Peace Index

The results of the 2016 Global Peace Index are in.  Despite last year's terror attacks in Paris and Brussels, and instability in Turkey, Europe remains the world's most peaceful region.  European countries make up 14 of the the world's top 20 peaceful countries.

For the third year in a row Iceland is the most peaceful country.

Last year, Czechland cracked the top 10.  This year it moves up four spots to #6.  The USA fell out of the top 100 to come in at #103.

Syria is the least peaceful country followed by, South Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.

Here are the top 20 countries.

1. Iceland
2. Denmark
3. Austria
4. New Zealand
5. Portugal
6. Czech Republic
7. Switzerland
8. Canada
9. Japan
10. Slovenia
11. Finland
12. Ireland
13. Bhutan
14. Sweden
15. Australia
16. Germany
17. Norway
18. Belgium
19. Hungary
20. Singapore

2015 Global Peace Index

The 2015 Global Peace Index results are in.  Europe remained the world's most peaceful geographical region.  No real surprise there as 15 of the top 20 countries are in Europe.

Iceland remained the most peaceful country in the world.

Both Czechland and the USA improved from last year's results.  Czech Republic moved up to 10th place (the 6th most peaceful country in Europe).

The USA moved up to 94th place.  Not the best of scores but it's an improvement.

Here are the top 20 countries.

1.  Iceland

2.  Denmark

3.  Austria

4.  New Zealand

5.  Switzerland

6.  Finland

7.  Canada

8.  Japan

9.  Australia

10.  Czech Republic 

11.  Portugal

12.  Ireland

13.  Sweden

14.  Belgium

15.  Slovenia

16.  Germany

17.  Norway

18.  Bhutan

19.  Poland

20.  Netherlands

Update:  The 2016 results.

2014 Global Peace Index Results

The Global Peace Index uses 22 indicators which gauge the absence of, or fear or, violence.  It looks at the level of safety and security in society, the extent of domestic or international conflict and the degree of militarization.

Some of the items which go in to the formula include:

• Perceived criminality in society
• Violent crime, number of homicides,  access to weapons and the number of people in jail
• Political instability, relations with neighboring countries, civil liberties, freedom of press, gender inequality, adult literacy, education spending, enrollment in primary/secondary/higher education

This year's results have Iceland ranked #1 out of 162 countries.  Czech Republic just missed making the top ten.  It tied for 11th place with Sweden.  The USA didn't fare so well as it ended up #101.

Update:  The 2015 results.
Update:  The 2016 results.
Update:  The 2017 results.
Update:  The 2018 results.

Update:  The 2019 results.

Update:  The 2020 results.